Wednesday October 14th. I rode Amtrak. The first time on a U.S. train. What an experience! Not like the European trains I will say that. Mainly because of the fact that the tracks are shared here with everything that rolls and the schedule is kind of out the window.
I sat down and wrote about it once I got on board. Here is what I said:
I can't believe this U.S. train thing. Ugh! Americans! Or really...ugly Americans! Torrie dropped me at the Everett Amtrak station this morning. I got all checked in and then had a seat and watched teh mayhem unfold. Its a Greyhound station as well as Amtrak and alot of people just sitting around. The usual bus station crowd (usual for America)
Finally a really large security guard comes up and gets in their faces. Weird. He wasn't very nice about it and he went straight for the black guys and then the Mexicans. Wow.
The train was about an hour late. They never said why. Once it arrived I learned that they do the boarding different here as well. They only open the door to the platform when the train is arriving and the station manager gathers up all teh riders and walks us all out together. It was really funny. Once it pulls up they only open like 2 doors for 5 cars and you get out your ticket and the nice lady says get on and take a right and find a seat. I mean the seats aren't assigned why does it matter which direction I go?
Once you're seated they walk around, ask where you're headed and put a funny yellow tag above your head. P, V,S, etc Portland Vancouver, Seattle. Once they do that the train conductor announces that that is your seat from now on, don't move. Ha! Such a funny way to do it! But the staff of the trains were really awesome. Very friendly and that was nice!
In Seattle the people were assigned seats which is stupid. Just assign us all seats. But its comfy andclean and there are tons of staff on board. Also there was a woman with a walker and they were Very accomodating, I'm talking, they offered to pick her up and put her on board etc, which you'd only see in the US (and England) I don't think she could have managed the trains elsewhere. Don't get me wrong they would help but the staff people are few and far between.
The train is stopped to have something looked at which was interesting. So we'll be 45 minutes late. No one seems fussed. Train workers are all nice. Was just looking out window thinking how similar some of the landscape was. The country side is pretty familiar. Matt even said so when we were in Italy. It didn't seem like we were in a foreign country sometimes when you looked out at the trees and fields.
A few times I closed my eyes and wished I was on a train in England or some where. Thats okay. I think job and room to rent will have sobering effect on me.
(this train ride is so scenic)
I think as long as I don't fill my room with comforts too much. I'll feel like I could go soemwhere again soon.
Might turn out to be a real challenge for me tos tay positive and keep my eye on the prize so to speak. I think I'll really enjoy the presentations adn the city life (a bit) and try not to get frustrated with annoying, rude, loud, Americans. After all they are "my people" (haha)
Maybe what I'll do is plan my Russia trip for 2-3 years away and then see what happens when Greg calls about sailing. If he does. He didn't sound too sure about it in the email.
After all teh train delays I only ended up being an hour behind. Once you get off teh train in Portland (which has a really pretty train station) you are shuffled into this tiny little "baggage room" and have to squeeze in to find your bag as they toss it up on the shelf. Weird way to do that but hey, it works.
So off I went into the big city.
A new adventure begins...lets call it Portland Oregon (that other foreign country)
K
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